Project Lead(s): Akindele Adebiyi, Oladimeji Olayinka
An old African proverb reads: ""It takes a village to raise a child"". What this really means is that not only the parents but other extended family members can play a vital role as caregivers to young children.
This project builds on that traditional concept by zooming in on the existing postnatal and child welfare clinics in Nigeria. Currently, these clinics leave little room for fathers and other caregivers to participate in health education and infant care. Poor stimulation and reduced social interaction at an early age can have lasting cognitive and emotional effects.
The innovators will leverage existing postnatal/child welfare clinics to test an intervention that uses culturally acceptable videos and active skill-building, to deliver health messages and practical skills to women on early child development. It is expected that the mothers will, in turn, train their male partners and other caregivers within the context of the home setting. The mothers would be trained in communication and negotiation skills to better prepare them for the home engagement process with their male partners and other caregivers.